Airway marker



J. ABIUSO AIRWAY MARKER Dec. 7, 1948.

2 Sheds- Sheet 1 Filed April 12,. 1945 Dec. 7,-1948. I I J. ABIUSO2,455,721

7 AIRWAY MARKER Filed April 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 jperting'andfastening the slatsof a marker Patented Dec. 7, 1948 AIRWAY MARKER JohnAbiusp, New Cumberland, Pa.

Application Apr-Hi2, 1945, Serial 'No. some n 1 i "1 t 'My inventionrelates to -a route marker for visibly conveying information to theoccupants of an aircraft. l

flah obieot of my invention is to providea marker to bellooated upontheground along air routes for'indicating the direction whichthepilotsho'uld take to reach a -givenlocation or which willindicateconveniently the :points of the compass and any otherinformation which may bedesired.

1h i'urtherobjcct of my inventionis to provide a censtruction "for sucha sign which will provide maximum visibility under all weatherconditions. still funthei'object of my inventionisto prowide aconstruction for an airway marker which will permit-its manufacture in acentralilocation, shipment in almocked down condition to "the nesitedlocation and assembly with aminimumof timeanii-equipment." Another obeotofmy invention is -to provide a system for constmcting the elements ofletters so that any desired letter or symbol may be "iorineddromaminimumof pieoes and material. -Another om-eat ot my invention is to providesupporting structure for an air marker which is readily" adapted to rbeinstalled in varying types osmium i i i i Further obfiects will beapparent fromthe speci- "titration and drawings, which: i

is a view showing my air marker installed onthegmund. l FigH-Zillustrates details of construction of a diretritlonihdioator in theshape of :an arrow and eonstructedmeeording to rriyinvention. l

*Flg. 3 isan'exploded view showing the *methocl -of assembling the jointof a marker having ahofizon'tal and vertical suriace. l

Figs 4 one 5 -i'llus-trate modified tems of markers. 1 i i FiQsSGandWillustrate various methods of supobnstructed according "to my invention.7

While certain novel features of the invention are disclosed hereinwitheonsiderable detail with "respectto certain particular -forms of theinvenone, it is not desired to be limited to such details since manychanges and modifications may well be 'madewithout departure from thespirit for the inventiofl-lnits broadest aspect.

Like'referencenumerals denote like parts in the severalfigures ofthedrawings.

Referring "now "morespecifically to the drawin'gs, theipreferred "formof my air marker is cesigned:toiprovidematiinum "visibility to i thepilot of "an "aircraft ll under all weather conditions, and particularlyiinuwinter imolimates where ice sole-ms. (owe-.1251

and snow are prevalent. The invention 1 contemplates the use 10f aplurality of cspaeedslatsmr hoards ilxnountedin an elevatedpositionpnrposts M. Horizontaiislats Eli. are secured to hmss memberswhich arerintum.supportedby postss zlli. LCross members t3 may :belocated 1&1; the of slats $1301.01" in any intermediate positionwflllbmm' providing great flexibility tin erection inf: lthe marker. Inmany-cases the danger as well as smaller sections such as "the arrowhead12in 21mm be :made up aha central location anditrensmooted ready for"instatl-ation; 'Khismdvantaee eliminates ithe use of :heaw boards orslabs; and histof additional .simpontance in that r the sectionsintemhangeable dor diiferent types of reigns. For example, the smalltriangular section of :me arrowhead inf Fig.2 can he utilized tofonmjthe ofithenumeral l1 iinIEig.;1. l t l ubependingiuponitheparticular conditicnstn he encountered, it may beuldesirable "to use lawincriaontal eombined withna werticwl panel in mnder to maximumwisibility. 3 :iliustratesia t-detail of such menstruation; :Post M hason top plate I?! seemed thereto which in .turn supports "cross member11:8 and slatsrwicfl; :Cmssmemher W ailso provides :a support forthegioints invany location where the slatsabut. Angle ironsoll positionvertical slats "l fi hy means of boltsilis and nuts l 1.. Bolts 18secure uanglelironstdl,

slats lily-cross member l1i" ,;and plate 422 suitably drilledholeswwh-ich may xii :desiredmeein- -corporatedin the variousmembersmttheznlace ,o manufacture. 11

Where metal tubing ormipe can be desirably utilized for posts=ll,.p1ate:I2 will icbe welded to the top of the post before erection inthesfild.

If wooden posts are used, cross n'iember alt mm be hailedtdirectly :tothet'zpostas shown in Fla. i2.

The gapshetween the whoards or slats olf the marker lare important inthat wind "resistance {is decreaseditherebyand also they help to:keepithe snooker ifIBE or rain and enew. Funthennone -a considerablesaving of lumber or imaterial is achieved. An alternate ,fonm .ofsupport Ideiscribedxin detail hereinafter) shown in 6 winch has theadvantage of requiring no nails or bolts. Elms-tape may also bedesirably employed as an intermediate support between ends this form ItEQDO 'ZI mayvsupport "the triangular shaped raised letter directly asillustrated in Fig. 4 or a post 2| of the form shown in Fig. 3 may alsobe employed.

'Ilransverse cross piece 22 secured to cross member 20 provides lateralstability. Increased visibility may be obtained by the use of a verticalmember 23 at the apex of slats l9 to which the upper ends of slats [9may be conveniently nailed or bolted. If desired, the supporting memberat the top of the letter may be another longitudinal cross member suchas 24 (Fig. to

which suitable illuminating devices 25 may be secured. Where additionalstability is required, double supports or posts 2| (Fig. '7) maybeemployed to support a modified cross piece 26 having integral spacingelements 21 and nuts and bolts l8 for securely clamping the slats.

It will be understood that slats may be readily constructed to extendlengthwise of the supporting framework instead of crosswise as shown inFigs. 4 and 5 and the converse is true with respect to the form of Figs.1 and 2.

-The form of slat support shown in Fig. 6 lends itself readily tolocations in which all'of the required posts cannot be set in apredetermined position. This form provides adequate support for theslats and does not need to be drilled or bolted to the slats. It iscomprised of a lower cross member 28 pivotally attached to an uppercross member 29 by hinge 30. Both the upper and lower cross members haveabutting spacers 21 for maintaining proper alignment and spacing of theslats. The upper and lower cross members may be securely clampedtogether by means of bolt 3|, nut 32, and tabs 33 secured to each other.

It will be noted that the length and construction of the slats are suchthat they are readily adapted to the formation of any desired symbol,

or design, such as shown in Fig. 2, which may be needed to enable pilotsto ascertain their location with the aid of a suitable air chart or toconvey any desired information such as the distance to the next airport,latitude, longitude,

points of the compass, and appropriate warnings. The slats or boards arecut in standard lengths, ordinarily two, four, or six feet, as desired.These are used in sections having square ends. Sections having ends cuton the bias are made in lengths required for the particular letter,numeral, or symbol. By the use of this system,

any letter which would normally have a curved portion can be readilyshaped with the use of the square and biased sections. e

\ The elevated construction of my markers en- :ables them to be erectedin places where the ordinary marker would soon be obscured or ob-Iliterated, by underbrush or floods and the lengths of the slats isdesigned to enable the markers to be erected and repaired on locationfrom a minimum assortment of prefabricated pieces. This is animportantfeature for markers located in remote and inaccessibleterritory.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:- 19A ground marker foraircraft including a substantially flat, horizontal section ofsubstantial length and width; and a substantially flat, vertical sectiondisposed above said horizontal section and composed of a plurality ofelongated slats arranged one above the other in vertically spacedrelation, said vertical section being of substantial height and of alength substantially coextensive with that of said horizontal section.

2. A ground marker for aircraft including a" substantially flat,horizontal section of substantial length and width composed of aplurality of elongated slats arranged in side-by-side, spaced relationand extending along the length of said section; and a substantiallyfiat, vertical section disposed above said horizontal section andcomposed of a plurality of elongated slats arranged one above the otherin vertically spaced relation, said vertical section being ofsubstantial height and of a length substantially coextensive with thatof said horizontal section.

3. A ground marker for aircraft including a substantially flat,horizontal section of substantial length and width; and a substantiallyflat, vertical section of substantial length and height disposed abovesaid horizontal section with its lower edge above and adjacent thelongitudinal center line of said horizontal section, said verticalsection being composed of a plurality of elongated slats arranged oneabove the other in vertically spaced relation, and said vertical sectionbeing of a, length substantially coextensive with that of saidhorizontal section. V

4. A ground marker for aircraft including a substantially fiat,horizontal section composed of a plurality of elongated slats arrangedin sideby-side, spaced relation and extending along the length of saidsection; a substantially flat, vertical section disposed above saidhorizontal section and composed of a plurality of elongated slatsarranged one above the other in vertically spaced relation and of alength substantially coextensive with that of said horizontal section;horizontal, cross members extending transversely of the length of saidhorizontal section and secured to the slats thereof to maintain saidslats in their assembled, spaced relation; and vertical cross membersextending transversely-of the length of said vertical section andsecured to the slats thereof and to the horizontal section to maintainthe slats of the vertical section in their assembled, spaced relationand to secure said vertical section to and above said horizontalsection. l

5. A ground marker for aircraft including a substantially fiat,horizontal section composed of a plurality of elongated slats arrangedin sideby-side, spaced relation and extending along the length of saidsection; a substantially flat, vertical section disposed above saidhorizontalsection and composed of a plurality of elongated slatsarranged one above the other in vertically spaced relation and of alength substantially coextensive with that of said horizontal section; ahorizontal cross member extending transversely of the length of saidhorizontal section andsecured to the slats thereof to maintain saidslats in their assembled, spaced relation; and a substantially L-shapedangle arm having horizontal and vertical arms, the horizontal arm ofwhich is secured to said horizontal section, and the vertical arm ofwhich is secured to the slats of the vertical section to maintain theslats thereof in their assembled, spaced relation and to secure saidvertical section to and above said horizontal section.

6. A ground marker for aircraft as defined in claim 5, in which thehorizontal, cross member secured to the slats of the horizontal sectionis supported in elevation above the ground with the horizontal sectionsubstantially parallel to the ground by means of a vertically extendingpost attached to said horizontal cross member.

JOHNABIUSO.

(References on following page) 5 REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Number Name Date D. 87,178 Wilhem June 14, 1932325,011 Price Aug. 25, 1885 1,539,541 Burns May 26, 1925 Number

